


Rest for the Doctor

by deathbyfandom



Series: Post 'The Quickening' fics [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Episode: s04e23 The Quickening, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-01 17:41:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15148415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathbyfandom/pseuds/deathbyfandom
Summary: Julian was so sad and stressed at the end of the quickening so here's Garak making him actually rest and some kissing happens in the process.





	Rest for the Doctor

“I see you’re back.” Garak was standing in the entrance to the infirmary. It was late and Julian hadn’t expected anyone else to drop in after the captain had come to check he was okay. But here was Garak, surprising him as usual, who even knew how he knew Julian was back in the first place, or why he had come to visit him at 2am.

“I am.” Julian confirmed, not looking up from his tests.

“I would have expected you to be resting after a mission like that.”

Julian wanted to ask how he knew about the mission, what he knew, he wanted to ask why Garak was up at this hour, why he was here, why he had come to find Julian. Instead he just said, “How can I help you, Garak? I’m a little busy.”

“I was rather hoping you would take look at my wrist, I believe I’ve sprained it.” Garak stepped into the room and held out his arm to the doctor. Julian sighed, stood up, and grabbed a scanner.

“It looks fine to me.” He said, he didn’t doubt that there had never been anything wrong with Garak’s wrist.

“Hm, yes, I suppose it is,” Garak trailed off, studying Julian for a moment. “You look tired, doctor, perhaps you should return to your quarters.”

“I’m fine.”

“Oh of course, and in humans dark rings around the eyes is a symptom of…?”

“...Fatigue.” Julian admitted quietly, tossing the scanner onto the desk and collapsing into his chair. “But I can’t sleep. Not until I find a cure. There has to be one, I can’t just let all those people die.”

“You did what you could.” Garak replied, his voice softer than Julian had ever heard it. “Because of you their next generation will live, that’s really more than enough, you didn’t owe them anything.”

“That’s not the point!” Julian exclaimed, throwing his hands up before standing and beginning to pace.

“I know,” Garak said, reaching out and grabbing the doctor’s arm, bringing him to a halt. “But they know you did all you could, and everyone who knows you at all knows you would have given your own life to save those people, however unnecessary. But you are home now. And now you need to rest.”

“I watched a woman die with her baby lying on her chest.” Julian said, his voice cracking, “She trusted me Garak, she believed I could help her, heavens, even I somehow convinced myself I would be able to save her. I just feel like if I could make a cure then maybe I wouldn’t feel as bad. Maybe I wouldn’t feel like I shouldn’t call myself a doctor.”

Garak just stood and watched the doctor for a moment, Julian was staring blankly over Garak’s shoulder. And then, in what he would later call a massive failure in judgement and a rather impulsive act (that clearly turned out well, he would reassure Julian), Garak lifted his hand and cupped Julian’s face, gently turning his head so their eyes met.

“My dear doctor.” Garak said. “My dear, dear doctor. You go well beyond what the definition of a doctor requires, you always have.”

And somehow that simple sentence made Julian feel better. He met Garak’s gaze and felt his breath falter when he saw the look Garak was giving him.

“Garak…” He murmured, suddenly aware of how close they were, he lifted one of his hands and threaded his fingers through Garak’s on his cheek before leaning forward and connecting their lips.

Garak’s lips were colder than his own and soft in a way he didn’t expect. Garak’s other arm curled around his waist, pulling him closer. He must have thought about doing this at least a million times before, and now it was happening… and he was far too exhausted to really enjoy it, he realised.

“You need to sleep, my dear.” Garak said, voicing Julian's thoughts and pulling back a little. Julian left his eyes closed, resting their foreheads together.

“I can’t.” Julian said quietly. “Not when there’s work to be done.”

“The work will be here in the morning, let me take you to your quarters.”

Julian sighed, exhaustion was eating him alive if he was being honest, he dropped his head onto Garak’s shoulder, burying his face in the crook of his neck and let Garak just hold him for a moment before he pulled himself away, closed his research and then turned back to Garak.

“Alright, take me to bed.” He said, before realising how that sounded and blushing. “I mean- I just meant- you offered to take me to my quarters and I’m- I’m accepting your offer I’m not- I mean…”

Garak just smiled and rested his hand on the small of Julian’s back. “I know what you meant my dear, shall we?”

Garak’s hand didn’t move the entire walk back and somehow Julian found himself relaxing for the first time in days. Garak’s hand on his back was like a constant reminder that he wasn’t alone, that Garak wasn’t going anywhere.

Garak’s hand dropped once they reached Julian’s quarters and he immediately felt the crushing weight of those people who were going to die because he couldn't do his job hit him again. He looked over at Garak and Garak must have seen the stress in his eyes because suddenly his hand was back on Julian's back and he was unlocking Julian's quarters, which Julian didn't think to ask about until later, and leading Julian inside.

“Tarkalean tea.” Garak took the drink from the replicator then sat down on the couch and handed it to Julian.

“Thank you.” Julian took the drink, he was hyper aware of Garak sitting by his side, their sides brushing every now and then. Julian didn't know what to think about this. Garak had always been a mystery to him, and yet somehow Garak was also one of his closest friends. He'd always felt something towards Garak, he had thought that perhaps it was just his love for intrigue and adventure but now he was beginning to realise he found Garak’s presence comforting as well as thrilling. He wasn't ashamed to admit he had thought about Garak that way, he had thought about it since Garak first placed his hands on his shoulders in the replimat, although since then it had become a much deeper interest. And now they were… something.

“You don't have to stay.” Julian said eventually, looking over at Garak, secretly he hoped Garak would stay anyway, he wasn’t sure he wanted to be alone.

“Mmm, perhaps, however, I fear that if I leave you won't sleep.” Garak replied.

“I’m not sleeping with you here at the moment either.” Julian said, mentally kicking himself, he didn't want Garak to leave.

Garak raised his eyebrows at Julian. “If you've finished your drink then I encourage you to go to bed.”

“Where are you going to sleep?”

“I’m quite happy on the couch my dear, thank you.”

“I can't ask you to sleep on my couch Garak.” Julian watched Garak carefully before continuing. “I would offer to share my bed, if you insist on staying.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth he wished he could take them back, they hadn't even spoken about whatever this was, for goodness sake they'd barely even kissed and yet here he was offering his bed. Knowing Cardassian sensibilities Garak was probably wildly offended by his offer and would never speak to him again.

“That is quite an offer.” Garak said at last, interrupting Julian's thoughts

Julian wished he could just fall through the floor. “You don't have to, I just thought- it doesn't matter, you should just go back to your quarters.”

“You misunderstand me, I was merely surprised by your… boldness, I don’t intend on leaving you alone in this state.”

“Ok.” Was all Julian could think to say, Garak agreed to sleep in his bed, with him. They got ready for bed in silence, it didn't take long, Julian didn't bother changing, instead just pulling off his work clothes and climbing into his bed and telling the computer to dim the lights. A minute later the bed sunk next to him and Garak’s hand found his. Julian felt himself smile into the darkness, threading his fingers through Garak’s.

“Is this okay?” He asked, rolling over to face Garak.

“Of course.” Garak replied, and he looked like he wanted to say something else but instead he slipped his arm around Julian and pulled him closer. “We can talk about us in the morning.”

“Mmmm sounds good.” Julian said, burying his face in Garak’s chest, already half asleep. Garak smiled at the sleeping doctor, he didn't know what this was yet but he knew he would follow the doctor to the end of the galaxy.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I might do a second part to this if people are interested? Idk let me know. 
> 
> Also you can find me on tumblr @girlsinthestars.


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